In any professional sport it is very difficult to see athletes remain active players after the age of 40, the preparation must be very rigorous and in Major League Baseball more so, where the season is quite long and exhausting. However, there are always big exceptions.
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Now, in what will be this 2023 regular season of the best baseball in the world, at least five players of at least 40 years of age will say they are present in the inaugural roster of one of the 30 teams, such is the case Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers and Rich Hill, who will be 11 years old on March 43, thus being the oldest active pitcher, because after spending a year with Boston, he signed with Pittsburgh, this being the 12th different currency with the one who will play in the mecca of American ball.
Miguel Cabrera seeks to round off his "last dance"
However, Miguel Cabrera will say goodbye to his career as an active player, where for 20 seasons he has been the terror of rival pitchers, thus achieving a career that has allowed him to exceed 3.000 hits, 500 home runs and 600 doubles, and other marks that is looking for his goodbye season.
“Everything I've achieved is because I always felt dissatisfied with myself and I always demanded much more of myself,” Cabrera explained to Jorge Ebro of the Miami Herald, during the gala for the Foundation that bears his name on November 30. “I had bad moments, but he always told me to keep calm and work hard, with the sun up or the sun down. Work has been the key to perseverance.''
Rich Hill wears 12 uniforms
Meanwhile, Rich Hill is gearing up for his 18th season and while he hasn't officially announced he's retiring yet, he says he wants to spend more time with his family and even said he could sign a second-half deal or work for power. go to a contending team during the trade deadline, indicating the lefty still has gas in the tank.
Verlander seeks to continue at a high level
In the same order of ideas, Justin Verlander stands out among the forty-something players who will see action in 2023, being a true example of consistency at the highest level, since he has just won a Cy Young award and declined his $25 million option with the Astros, to opt for a higher salary than he could get with the Mets.
It should be noted that the right; who is also going to his 18th contest, he is the active shotgunner with the most victories (144) and his closest target is 150, of which he is six. He is also 37 innings out of 3.200 and 102 strikeouts out of 3.300.
The 500 in the sights of Nelson Cruz
Meanwhile, Nelson Cruz; who will turn 43 in the middle of this season, is 41 home runs shy of 500, 33 doubles shy of 400 and 210 bases hit shy of 4.000, for a hitter who improved after breaking through the third floor in terms of age.
'Waino' goes for 200 lauros
And with regard to Adam Wainwright, who will turn 42 on August 30, he will go to his first season with another catcher other than Yadier Molina, looking for five wins that will make him reach 200, 32.2 innings that will take him to 2.600 and 53 strikeouts that raise it to 2.200.
